PEMF for Pet Incontinence

MagnaWave obviously has at least a few good DVM contributors. This post begins with a suggestive advertising email. A review of possible causes of canine incontinence and questions to ask follows. Like human males, one of the leading causes of male canine incontinence is an enlarged prostate. [1] This post reviews a canine clinical trial of a PEMF device for treatment of prostate hyperplasia in dogs [2] and the role of nitric oxide [3], a small molecule increased by PEMF. This device has field strength and frequency similarities with MagnaWave products. This post makes mention of the potential “PEMF antenna” TRVC1 in cystitis. [4]

﹏Pet Incontinence, the Magnawave narrative

“Your Pet is not Peeing in your Home because they are Mad…

Pets cannot tell us what is wrong with them, so we have to help them as much as we can! Several factors contribute to urinary incontinence, which can be caused from:

• Aging
• Hormonal imbalances
• Urinary Tract Infection
• Urinary stones
• Protruding intervertebral disc
• Weak bladder
• Prostate disorders

Many pets suffer from urinary incontinence and sometimes it feels like there is nothing you can do to solve the problem.

By having sessions with MagnaWave for your pet, you can help prevent the symptoms from getting worse. This could be an alternative to invasive methods and treating your pets with medication.

Always talk to your vet first about addressing conditions your pet may suffer from!

MagnaWave uses PEMF technology to improve your pet’s cellular function and health beyond just urinary incontinence. PEMF can help by:

• Reducing Inflammation
• Pain Relief
• Faster Recovery from Injury
• Improved Performance and Mobility
• Strengthened Immune System

By using MagnaWave to help your pet with urinary incontinence, you are also reducing your pet’s pain and helping them become more active again.“

Veterinary Internal Medicine: Incontinence Review [1]

The Kendall review [1] has an excellent, probably copyrighted, cartoon depicting innervation of unary tract muscle. When a pet’s incontinence might be due to something going on with the spinal cord, this is something to show the pet’s vet. The Kendal review discusses gender differences in the mechanics of urination too.

bladder spinal cord reflexes

• The stretch of a full bladder triggers the detrusor reflex. Further relaxation to accommodate more urine?
• The micturition (peeing) reflex is a combination of sustained contraction of the detrusor muscle with simultaneous relaxation of the urethra. Physiopedia has some excellent videos on voluntary and involuntary aspects of this reflex!
• Both reflexes are coordinated by autonomic nervous system, spinal cord pathways., and supraspinal pathways involving the brain stem, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex.
• The sympathetic and somatic nervous systems govern urine storage whereas the parasympathetic nervous system governs the voiding phase. Coordination of all 3 systems is required for micturition to occur appropriately.”

These questions are very much for skilled detectives with DVM degrees. At first the authors [1] discussed the difference in smooth versus skeletal muscle in the vicinity of the prostate gland. There are many other things that can go wrong with the micturition process. As the MagnaWave DVMs eluded to, age can impact our stretch receptors to detect when our bladders are full! Spinal cord injuries can affect traffic going both ways.

urinary tract muscle types and the prostate

In my smooth muscle lab days the fibroblast 🡘 myofibroblast 🡘 smooth muscle transitions were of interest in regards to hardening of the arteries. Of the bladder? This sort of thing is probably off the radar of current veterinary medicine. Perhaps years from now we will know if PEMF can influence this interplay. The Kendall review did mention bladder fibrosis.

Incontinence, questions vets ask

1. Is the dog aware of inappropriate urination (is it really incontinence?)
2. How long has the problem been present?
3. Was the problem present before neuter?
4. Is the dog able to urinate normally?
5. Is the dog able to empty its bladder completely?
6. Is there a change in the frequency of normal urination?
7. Is the dog polyuric/polydipsic? Is the dog peeing a lot and drinking a lot?
8. Can the dog produce a normal urine stream?
9. Is the dog straining when it urinates?
10. Is the dog able to posture appropriately to urinate?
11. Does the dog have a history of neurologic disease or orthopedic/spinal pain or lameness?
12. Has the dog ever had fecal incontinence?
13. Does the dog drip urine after it voids normally?
14. Does the dog have any lower urinary tract signs such as pollakiuria, hematuria, or malodorous urine?
15. Does the dog show a sense of urgency to urinate prior to leaking urine?

Poiseuille’s Law and micturition

Some of the detective questions of Kendall 2024 touch on Poiseuille’s Law that is intuitively obvious to most of us. The longer the pipe, the slower the flow. Viscous fluids flow slower. Fluids flow slower as the diameter decreases. Less pressure (weaker bladder detrusor muscles) means less flow.

Maybe PEMF can help with spinal cord inflammation issues like IVDD. Can PEMF affect plumbing issues separate from enlarged prostate? The good news is that PEMF can shrink an enlarged prostate in male dogs.

The PEMF prostate hyperplasia clinical trial [2]

In many disclosed ways this German PEMF device has a few things in common with MagnaWave products. This clinical trial found a reduction of prostate size.

• 20 8-14 yr healthy male dogs with uniform prostatic enlargement detected at rectal exploration confirmed by needed biopsy.
• urinalysis, androgen assessment, semen quality, ultrasound, etc.
• At day 0 (T₀), the prostate gland was scanned along with other analyses.
• The German Magcell® Vetri generates a frequency of 4–12 Hz and average intensity of 0.1 T with a maximum intensity of 0.2 The sinusoidal wave form was confirmed by a separate group. The sinusoidal pulses had frequencies between 4 and 12 Hz with 8 Hz (mean frequency of therapy program
• The device was pressed against the dog’s skin corresponding to the inguinal region for 5 min.
• Dogs were then treated two times a day (every 12 hours) with magnetotherapy for 5 min each session for three weeks.
• Ultrasound revealed prostate volumes: day 0 (38.61 ± 9.3 cm³), day 7, day 14, and day 21 (16.62 ± 2.4 cm³) Each seven day volume was significantly less than the day 0 volume.
• At day 0 and 21 (T_0, T₃), semen was evaluated. No change was detected in seminal plasma volume or pH. The sperm count and the percent motile sperm was not significantly changed over the three week study. Likewise, testosterone was not effected.

The authors attributed the decrease in prostate volume to nitric oxide production and/or decrease in inflammation. PubMed has five publications on nitric oxide+dog+prostate+hyperplasia. One 1998 publication illustrated the role of age, testosterone, and the expression of nitric oxide synthase. [3]

Table 2 results

• systolic pressure variation is the normal systolic blood pressure fluctuation with spontaneously breathing, normally by 5-10 mmHg. Raised intra-abdominal pressure can increase SPV
• End diastolic volume refers to the volume of the left and right ventricles at the end of the filling stage, diastole. The less volume in the prostate means more venous return to the heart.
• the dorsal branch of the prostatic artery mean and peak gradient (G). Peak gradient is a term used in aorta stenosis (narrowing) that leads to reduced flow from the left ventricle to the aorta during systole. In this case we can propose that G mean is the pressure differential throughout the cardiac cycle and that G peak is the pressure differential during systole.
• Pulsatility is an intrinsic property of the cardiovascular system, governed by the resistance differential across the arteriolar bed, which allows the potential energy stored in the elastic, proximal arteries to propagate throughout the microcirculation at a mean pressure consistent with adequate perfusion.  When evaluated as a derived flow parameter using pulsed wave doppler, it is calculated by one of the following equations: PI= (v_max – v_min) / (v_mean)
• Resistance index is a is a measure of pulsatile blood flow that reflects the resistance to blood flow caused by microvascular bed distal to the site of measurement. RI = (volume _systole – volume _diastole)/ volume _systole

day	Systolic pressure variation	end diastolic volume	mean volume	G mean	G peak	pulsitivity index	resistance index
0	25.53 ± 8.65	13.67 ± 1.44	11.93 ± 6.99	0.109 ± 0.09	0.273 ± 0.23	0.983 ± 0.26	0.416 ± 0.15
7	18.10 ± 5.26✮	10.69 ± 2.48✮	7.84 ± 5.50✮	0.070 ± 0.08✮	0.159 ± 0.12✮	0.904 ± 0.52	0.363 ± 0.22
14	13.72 ± 4.62✮	6.82 ± 3.46✮	6.91 ± 5.10✮	0.038 ± 0.05✮	0.119 ± 0.11✮	1.20 ± 0.50	0.510 ± 0.18
21	10.71 ± 3.69✮	4.79 ± 1.98✮	5.41 ± 3.88✮	0.029 ± 0.04✮	0.067 ± 0.05✮	1.37 ± 1.00	0.536 ± 0.18

✮ Significantly different from starting point by p<0.05

Referenced paper on neuronal nitric oxide synthase [4]

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase, NOS1, is the NO producer of neurons and skeletal muscles. It resides on the skeletal muscle dystrophin. nNOS/NOS1 is released by nitrenergic neurons, participates in synaptic plasticity, and relaxes blood vessels. The Crone 1998 citrated dog study study looked at these treatment groups.

1. six intact dogs
2. 10 dogs castrated at 7 days of age and received testosterone and estrogen replacement at 2 years of age
3. nine dogs who were castrated at 2 years of age and received testosterone and estrogen replacement at 2 years of age

These dogs were involved in another study. At six years the beagles were killed and their prostates analyzed. This particular Wiley publication has a not so free microscopic version [3] Shown below are an approximate of a Western Blot showing proteins levels of the cerebellum (Cer) and prostate tissue from the three treatment groups. nNOS staing was anecdotally, better detected in the 37 year old’s prostate than in that of the 63 and 72 year old human males. What we don’t know is if PEMF induced the expression of nNOS, or other isoforms of nitric oxide synthase, in the dog study [2] or simply turned the enzyme(s) on via Ca²⁺ calmodulin. If there were a n incrase in nNOS activity, would there also be an increase in nitrite in the semen?

The “PEMF antenna” TRPC1 in the bladder [4]

Cystitis is a condition characterized by increased innervation of the bladder by sensory nerves may contribute to bladder overactivity and pain., [4] Canine cystitis may involve blood in the urine. A murine model of cystitis can be produced by injection of cyclophosphamide,(CyP) a chemotherapy agent that induces cyclitis as a side effect. [4]CyP induces sensory neurite sprouting and mRNA for the growth cone protein GAP-43., The authors surveyed expression of members of the transient receptor potential Ca²⁺ super family. CyP caused a doubling of TRPC1 and TRPC4. Detrusor muscle overactivity may follow spinal cord injury and the resulting deprivation of nerve growth factor. [5] Anti-NGF antibody treatment reversed the changes in the expression levels of TRPV1 and TRPC3/TRPC6, which were found to increase and decrease, respectively, in a mouse model of spinal cord injury. TRPC1, on the other hand, was not significantly affected by these treatments. [5] The Shimizu 2018 study suggested that the NGF-dependent changes in some of the TRP family members are involved in spinal cord injury induced detrusor muclse overactivity . TRPC3/TRPC6 might have an inhibitory role in the control of bladder afferent activity. The capsaicin (chilli pepper) receptor TRPV1 overexpression is involved in C-fiber sensitization, leading to the induction of detrusor overacivity after spinal cord injury. [5]

In summary, in practice?

This post summarizes what I find promising about EPMF for treatment of pet incontinence yet I would never feel comfortable using it without the guidance of someone trained to practice vet nary medicine.

1. Reflexes involved in controlling micturition are complicated and may involve spinal cord inflammation [1] , which PEMF might be useful. I’m not that familiar with lumbar vertebra and somatic innervation in companion animals to know where to direct the PEMF
2. Just changes in plumbing can effect the flow of urine. The Kendall review gave a good set of questons for those trained to practice veterinary medicine [1]
3. PEMF has been shown to be successful in reducing prostate size [2], only one of many possible causes of pet incontinence.
4. A putative PEMF “antenna” has been shown to be upregulated in cystitis. {4] However other TRP family members may be upregulated in the bladder after spinal cord injury. [5]

So many anecdotal stories surround the usefulness of PEMF for pet incontinences. The potential causes are so immensely complicated and confusing. Where to direct the PEMF may require the help of an expert who understands the history of the pet’s condition.

References

1. Kendall A, Byron JK, Westropp JL, Coates JR, Vaden S, Adin C, Oetelaar G, Bartges JW, Foster JD, Adams LG, Olby N, Berent A. ACVIM consensus statement on diagnosis and management of urinary incontinence in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Mar-Apr;38(2):878-903. PMC free paper
2. Leoci R, Aiudi G, Silvestre F, Lissner E, Lacalandra GM. Effect of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy on prostate volume and vascularity in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a pilot study in a canine model. Prostate. 2014 Aug;74(11):1132-41. PMC free paper
3. Crone JK, Burnett AL, Chamness SL, Strandberg JD, Chang TS. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the canine prostate: aging, sex steroid, and pathology correlations. J Androl. 1998 May-Jun;19(3):358-64 “free” paper
4. Boudes M, Uvin P, Pinto S, Freichel M, Birnbaumer L, Voets T, De Ridder D, Vennekens R. Crucial role of TRPC1 and TRPC4 in cystitis-induced neuronal sprouting and bladder overactivity. PLoS One. 2013 Jul 29;8(7):e69550. PMC free paper
5. Shimizu N, Wada N, Shimizu T, Suzuki T, Takaoka EI, Kanai AJ, de Groat WC, Hirayama A, Hashimoto M, Uemura H, Yoshimura N. Effects of nerve growth factor neutralization on TRP channel expression in laser-captured bladder afferent neurons in mice with spinal cord injury. Neurosci Lett. 2018 Sep 14;683:100-103. PMC free paper